Senior Level Executives often ask us questions around how career coaching will help accelerate their job search and what the career coaching process involves. We’ve provided the answers to many of these questions below and if you don’t see the answer to your questions, please contact us to find out more. Executive Connexions Managing Director, Steve Nicholls answers some of the most commonly asked questions (some links will direct you to other resources on this website):
You might have been exposed to a phrase ‘Lifelong learning’? The UK Government used to use this phrase quite a bit, and I’d suggest it’s a way of viewing your career, and career coaching. Whether or not you’re actively engaged with a career coach or other guide, anyone’s career is something to be managed throughout life. So it takes a lifetime then! But in the context of how we support people like yourself, we offer options from just a few sessions through to complete career advancement programmes over a few months.
Well, I appreciate you will be actively job seeking at times, and other times you’ll be head down in a new role or contract, so the emphasis can change, but the fact that your career is something to be managed implies that it’s a lifelong activity.
The hidden jobs market is a term used to describe unadvertised jobs. These roles are filled before they get to the open market, often by word of mouth and through various contacts.
We’re talking a massive portion of the senior level jobs market here. See our ‘navigating the hidden jobs market’ report to find out more.
While we have many recruiter and headhunter contacts, we’re not recruiters and don’t hold vacancies. As a career coaching firm, we occupy the position between candidates and recruiters. We don’t work for employers; we work for you, helping you to achieve the career success you want, faster.
We’ve established that there are some key areas that most candidates need potential support with. That being said there is no one size fits all solution. We’re happy to discuss this in more detail once we know a bit more about your own individual situation. Our innovative ‘Be Found’ approach is something unique in the market, and it’s approaches to the hidden jobs market are creating great results for our client.
The hidden jobs market is a term used to describe unadvertised jobs. These roles are filled before they get to the open market, often by word of mouth and through various contacts.
We’re talking about a massive portion of the senior level jobs market here (70% or 80%!). See our ‘navigating the hidden jobs market’ report to find out more.
Research suggests that the Return On Investment (ROI) of career coaching is easily demonstrated in being able to get a better (higher paid) role more quickly. Some statistics say it will cost you 10-15% of an annual salary per month while out of work, with some estimates even higher than that. So gaining support to land your next role faster, has tangible financial benefits.
Career coaching can benefit you a number of ways, which can be different for different people – for many it’s about landing their next role faster, for others it’s about improving networking skills and taking a more measured approach towards their next career step. You’ll learn skills that you can take forward and use again and again in future career moves.
We also help our clients to overcome obstacles such as perceptions around age; how to get the best from recruiters; tackling the feeling of being out of touch or over qualified; and having a poor network. In summary, we’ll help you to be the best candidate that you can be, and improve your networking skills going forward.
Executive recruiters tell us that the more prepared candidates often have engaged in coaching.
The value that we offer within our free consultation concept often surprises people.
For 30 minutes approximately we’ll discuss any barriers or challenges you’re facing, and we’ll offer some actionable tips for you to take away from the call, regardless of where the call itself takes us. You’ll need to be senior level, and you’ll need to be open to the idea of working with a coach, and be able to fund a coaching programme, but those are the sole criteria. We work from a place of ethical values, and we believe that most people do too, simple as that. However, this is not a ‘free coaching session’, more of a high level review regarding your current job search strategies.
So no, there’s no cost to find out more, and we’ll be happy to arrange a discussion with you.
We realise that working with any kind of coach may be a new consideration for many senior level executives. There’s also a certain amount of scepticism around any process involving an initial conversation; how hard sell will it be? Will the company really ‘get’ what you’re looking for? This is where we stand out.
The entire concept of the initial free consultation is around giving you the opportunity to explain your current situation and to receive some valuable, actionable advice. Whether you decide to work with us or not, the call itself will be a useful opportunity for you to learn about the recruitment market, check your current search strategy, and perhaps discover a bit more about the career management industry.
Get more information about the free consultation, review the criteria, and book a convenient slot.
I hope our commitment to a personal, tailored career management service approach already comes through in some previous points in this FAQ? We represent you the senior level candidate, whereas what most people don’t fully realise is that recruiters and headhunters service their clients first and foremost. We will take the time to get to know you properly, understand your distinct value proposition, help you become the best candidate you can be, and represent you to our network of peer contacts, recruiters and headhunters.
Absolutely none. Our entire interactions are 100% confidential.
An interesting one, this. It’s great to have a feeling of bullishness vs timidity when it comes to how many roles you have ‘on the boil’ at any one time. We’ve certainly worked with clients specifically around interview preparation, who have gone on to receive multiple job offers.
For some, we come into contact fairly early in their career planning journey, for others it’s near the finish line. Flexibility is our watchword here.
Yes. Many people that we work with have reached a career crossroads of sorts. Sometimes the options are: persist in seeking a new full time role, consider interim or contract roles, or head off in a totally different direction. We’re geared up to help in any of these situations, and this is the core of career management; assisting you to make informed decisions by taking the time to adequately reflect on your options, while having a focussed view around your goals.
Outplacement support (Outplacement takes you through Resume/CV updates, interview skills, and other career planning subjects either on a group or one to one basis typically) sometimes forms part of a redundancy situation.
We’ve worked with many clients who have or are receiving outplacement services, which can sometimes be viewed as impersonal and ‘conveyor belt’ in its approach.
Our clients enjoy the personal attention, further enhanced advice and support, as well as active representation to selected recruiters and headhunters that we provide. A service at senior level must be 1:1 and personalized, and that’s what we pride ourselves on delivering.
We invite you to explore your career plans with us
Value-led, this complimentary & confidential discussion will help you to better understand the need for this new approach in today’s recruitment market, and you’ll also get some answers to any burning questions you may have about your career and job search strategy.
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